I/O Plugin

[Rednroll]

I'm looking for either a VST or DX plugin, which does something very simple. It has input/output abilities to my soundcard.

Let me explain: What I would like to do is to be able to use my external hardware processors within a software host plugin chain. So if there was a plugin, where it basically let me choose a stereo output from my sound card and routed the audio signal out to those outputs, then additionally excepted an audio input from my sound card, then I could patch in my external hardware gear and be able to place that gear within a software plugin chain. Is there anything available like this? and Where can I get it?

[silicon/silicium]

+1 sounds interesting!

[audio/fault]

+1

greetZ ANdreas

[aMUSEd]

Well there's one in Logic but thats not VST (though it shows it's possible at least). Also one on the Creamware Scope platform.

[Rednroll]

The idea seems so simple it's strange no ones done it.

I'm a beta tester for Sony Media Software/Sonic Foundry and I suggested this feature to them awhile back. Well, I'm currently beta testing Sound Forge 8.0 due out in March, and they added VST FX support. So I'm hoping this would open up a possibility of something like this being available as a VST plugin. I use Sound Forge for most of my mastering work, and also use a TC finalizer for the multiband compressor. So I would love to be able to insert my Finalizer into a plugin chain within Sound Forge and hear a combination of S/W and H/W processing all together. Currently I have to do the processing in seperate steps.

[whyterabbyt]

The problem would be your soundcard drivers; if your host has grabbed all the IO on your card, a plugin within that host might not be able to access them (especially with ASIO).

EMU's 'eWire' plugin thats part of the PatchMix system seems to do what you're after BTW.

And you could achieve the same sort of thing with suitably flexible bussing in your host.

[Alan]

Well there's one in Logic

Exactly,there's also this feature in the latest Cubase/Nuendo.I requested a plug like this about a year ago in the plugin developement section but the developers(including Toby Bear)claimed it has to be written within the host because of hardware handling.A posible way around that problem might be a standalone app with Rewire capabilities.

[MrM]

Is there anything available like this? and Where can I get it?

It must be very simple;

The MX200 provides a USB interface with a cross-platform VST plug-in window, allowing the MX200 to function as a "hardware plug-in" within any VST-compatible workstation environment. This USB plug-in feature allows MX200 users to easily add legendary Lexicon effects to their computer-based recordings within the graphical interface that appears in the recording application like a plug-in, with full automation and recall features. Now software-based recording engineers can enjoy the renowned Lexicon reverbs and effects.

The complete text can be found here:
http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM05 ... MX200.html

To summarize;
If I understand correctly, this hardware device contains the actual plugin, and can be 'inserted' as a VST effect within your host, and is connected via USB.

[C00kie]

For such a plugin you need a soundcard with more than one stereo output. My guess is than less than 10% of DAW users have such a setup, so it limits the target market.

Another BIG downside is that you have to setup the hardware EACH time you want to work on a project.

And there is always a work-around that works in nearly every host:
* Solo the track you want to apply the hardware effect to (or route it to its own output)
* Record the effect output on another track (as audio)
* Mute the original track if you don't need it

This way you can feature your hardware effect on every track, and with different settings! Can't do that with the proposed VST solution. And this way is very efficient to CPU

[MrM]

I guess you are not replying to me, but to the topic starter?

Since

This USB plug-in feature allows MX200 users to easily add legendary Lexicon effects to their computer-based recordings within the graphical interface that appears in the recording application like a plug-in, with full automation and recall features

[C00kie]

MrM, I guess you replied to me?

Yes, I replied to the original poster and not to the Lexicon USB thingamabob

[MrM]

Yes COOkie, I was replying to you

Anyways, I was just thinking, couldn't the technology that Lexicon uses be reproduced; a USB hardware device with:
- MIDI in
- MIMI out
- analog LINE in
- SPDIF in
- TOSLINK in

Basicly the same machine without the effects, but a line level input to connect any device you have in your studio?
Can't this be marketed?

[C00kie]

Now I am replying to you, MrM: that sounds like a standard USB soundcard

With some Senderella interceptions (send output to a seperate track, intercept incoming signal) I'm sure you can make it work in about every host.

Still the downsides, I can use my Focisrite Compounder on only one track and have to note down the settings I had. Once it is recorded to audio you don't need that anymore.

[Alan]

that sounds like a standard USB soundcard

No,the Lex unit is no different than a FireWire PowerCore with "VST" representation.So far though,the only solution is to use either Logic/Cubase or Nuendo as your host to use your hardware as an insert,and even then your limited by one set of settings.Also another problem is that you have to calculate the hardware latencey your self,it is not automatically compensated for.I eventually gave up on this idea(i/o plugin)as not as wonderful as i'd imagined.A much more useful idea would be to develop a DIY kit for older hardware that would turn the unit into something like the new Lex with VST representation.

[Rednroll]

Thanks for the MX200 suggestion, this sounds promising. I expected their to be latency issues, and if I was using this for my multitrack app, then I would expect that. Actually though for multitracking I already have a solution for adding external hardware by using a seperate bus out and my Hardware mixing board. I'm primarily looking at a mastering solution, which if there's latency then who cares, basically I'm playing back 1 stereo track, so what if the monitor is delayed by a few hundred milliseconds, I won't be able to hear it anyway without another track to reference too. I'm using Dual Echo Gina's on my DAW, which gives me 8in/20out, so I/O limitations for this isn't too much of a concern for me. The way I would run this is to set the host app to play out 1 analog stero pair for monitoring, then I would use 1 spdif out of the Gina to the digi In of the finalizer, then the digi out of the finalizer back to a digi IN of my sound card. So the insert would have no quality loss within the plugin chain, because I'm remaining digital throughout the entire signal path.